Chinese Taipei wins its first gold, USA takes bronze at Premier12 

TOKYO -- It was an outcome that no one -- perhaps not even the team's own manager -- would have predicted. In the gold medal contest between Chinese Taipei and the seemingly unstoppable Samurai Japan, who had won 27 consecutive games dating back to 2019, it was Chinese Taipei who emerged victorious. It was the first major international tournament victory for Chinese Taipei, whose previous best finish was a silver medal at the 1992 Olympics.

"This event made history, and this is a meaningful moment for us all," manager Hao-Jiu Tseng said. "The game against Team United States, against Team Japan. We made it through to be here. What we accomplished was so big."

D-backs No. 7 prospect Yu-Min Lin shut down the Japanese hitters, giving up just one hit in four innings, before the team broke through with four runs on two homers in the fifth. That was all it took to defeat the world's No. 1 ranked baseball team.

Earlier in the day, the United States took on Venezuela in the bronze medal game. The teams had already met twice before, splitting the two contests, so in a way, this was a rubber match -- one which happened to have a bronze medal on the line.

With a young but powerful lineup, USA won its final two games of the tournament, defeating Venezuela, 6-1, to earn the bronze medal.

"We were excited to be here, and it took a lot of work and a lot of playing good baseball to get out of Mexico and then come to the tournament here," manager Mike Scioscia said after the victory. "We didn't really play our best baseball, but fortunately, we were able to win the bronze. I think it's a high intensity tournament, which is good for development of our players, and you're facing terrific talent, so I really enjoyed it, and know our team did. We're very, very fortunate to come out with a bronze."

This is the second consecutive tournament that saw the United States defeat Venezuela and deprive them of a top-three finish. Trea Turner's grand slam knocked Venezuela out of the World Baseball Classic semifinals, while USA's victory over Venezuela on Friday prevented them from advancing to Sunday's gold medal final. Add Sunday's bronze medal victory and there should be a serious rivalry beginning to brew.

Despite finishing fourth, Venezuela manager Omar López said he was "blessed" to be managing Venezuela and representing the national team.

"We're going back home really happy," López said after the game. "Very impressed about how organized it is, how good people in Japan, the country, have been to us here for four or five days. It was really good. Not the win we were looking for, but I mean, being one the four best teams around the world is an accomplishment and I think our team should be proud."

Here is the full rundown of the super-round and medal games:

Super-round Game 1: Venezuela 2, Chinese Taipei 0

Venezuela powered its way through the group stage, going 4-1 to take first place thanks to an experienced lineup with plenty of pop. On Thursday afternoon at the Tokyo Dome, that trend continued: Carlos Eduardo Pérez (one of two catchers named Carlos Pérez on the roster) -- who saw Major League action in parts of five seasons, most recently with the A’s in 2023 -- hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to give Venezuela a lead that it would never relinquish.

After Nivaldo Rodriguez -- who went 10-4 with a 2.16 ERA in the CPBL this past season, making him very familiar with the Chinese Taipei lineup -- pitched four shutout innings, Venezuela manager Omar López then utilized his bullpen to perfection. Seven relievers followed -- five of them recording just one out (there is no batter minimum in the Premier12 tournament) -- to finish off the shutout.

"The reason why we're getting stronger is because we have the Venezuelan name on our chest," López said after the game. "And when you have the Venezuelan name, when you wear the jersey, there is nothing better than that. Nothing. Nothing. It's pride, it's honor and it's privilege."

Game 2: Japan 9, United States 1

For four innings, it was one of the most unlikely pitching duels you'll ever see: On one side was 44-year-old USA starter Rich Hill, a veteran of nearly 400 big league games who befuddled and bewitched Samurai Japan batters with an endless bevy of slow curves that at times barely crested 70 mph.

On the other was Hitaro Takahashi, the young Japanese ace who is half Hill’s age, armed with a 98 mph fastball and diving low-90s split-finger.

Despite the difference in styles, the two matched each other: Hill gave up one hit and struck out five. Takahashi, with dreams of the big leagues and MLB scouts in attendance, gave up two hits and struck out eight.

Once pulled though, the runs came: A’s No. 7 prospect Colby Thomas, who hit 31 home runs in the Minors last year, blasted a solo shot to right-field in the top of the fifth, flapping the "USA" on his chest as he rounded the bases.

That was no match for Japan’s second baseman Kaito Kozono. Despite hitting just two home runs in 588 PA for the Hiroshima Carp this season, he went supernova on Thursday: Kozono hit a two-run triple in the fifth, a three-run homer in the 7th, and capped it off with a two-run shot in the 8th.

That was enough for seemingly unbeatable Japan, who extended its international winning streak to a remarkable 25 games. Its last loss came against the United States in the 2019 Premier12.

Game 3: Chinese Taipei 8, United States 2

In a must-win game between two teams that lost their first super-round games, it was Chinese Taipei whose bats came to play. After threatening in each of the first three innings, Chinese Taipei broke through with two runs in the fourth, another in the fifth, and – with the game still within reach – a five-run seventh inning led by a Kun-Yu Chiang bases-loaded triple.

For the USA, Colby Thomas homered for the second consecutive day, though he was lifted after being hit by a pitch in the bottom of the seventh to add a painful end to a rough day for the United States. Though there is technically a possibility of a three-way tie for 1-2 between the U.S., Chinese Taipei, and Venezuela, the United States’ rough performance on the mound means that the tiebreaker rules will almost certainly not break in their favor to reach the gold medal final.

"We are writing our own history story," Chinese Taipei manager Hao-Jiu Tseng said after the team's first win against the United States since 2003. "I also hope that we have two more games. There's an infinite possibility in life. You don't know if you're going to make it, unless you try."

Game 4: Japan 9, Venezuela 6

It wasn’t so much a hush as it was a murmur, an anxious grumble that rolled its way around the Tokyo Dome after Venezuela’s slugging catcher Carlos Pérez hit a two-run home run to give Venezuela the lead in the sixth inning. A few batters later, when Angel Reyes drove in another run to make it 5-3, that grumble turned into outright fear: For the first time in 26 games, a stretch that runs back to 2019, Samurai Japan might lose on the international stage.

No one should have been worried.

The powerful Japanese bats stormed back in the bottom half of the frame, a bases-loaded walk and a single knotting the game at five. Next up was Shugo Maki, the beloved, dancing slugger who recently helped the Yokohama BayStars win their first Japan Series in 26 years. He took one pitch, a ball. On the next, he lofted a grand slam into the seats and the fans lit up, the decibel levels climbing astronomically.

From there, the Samurai Japan pitchers shut the door and the team’s 26th consecutive win was sealed. Japan plays Chinese Taipei tomorrow, but its spot in Sunday’s gold medal game is all but assured.

Game 5: USA 6, Venezuela 5

If the United States wanted a chance to advance among a three-way tie for second-place they were going to need to win and win big. They would need to score enough runs and build up a large enough differential, so that the tiebreaker formula would go in their favor should the U.S., Venezuela, and Chinese Taipei all finish 1-2.

Early on, it looked possible with the U.S. taking a 5-0 lead behind more hot hitting from the top of their lineup. Rays prospect Chandler Simpson and Cubs prospect Matt Shaw each provided two RBIs and veteran starter Touki Toussaint kept Venezuela off the board for four shutout innings.

But the team known as “Arepa Power” for their powerful hitting came back, tying the game on a pinch-hit three-run home run by Diego Castillo to essentially knock both teams out because of how the three-team tiebreaker works. It was mutually assured destruction.

Ryan Ward put the U.S. into the win column with his tournament-leading fifth home run in the top of the ninth, calling it "probably the coolest moment in my entire life." Unfortunately for Team USA, it was simply a moral victory. The teams will now play a rematch tomorrow for the bronze medal, while Chinese Taipei vs. Japan will simply be a warmup contest for tomorrow's gold medal game.

Game 6: Japan 9, Chinese Taipei 6

It was a game that promised to deliver an unbelievable atmosphere, the Tokyo Dome crowd swelling with the presence of Japan's cheering squad and the large contingent of fans and supporters who arrived from Taiwan. While the fans were there, as loud and energetic as ever, this game lacked some of the drama that it could have. After the United States defeated Venezuela, both teams were confirmed to play in the gold medal game on Sunday regardless of the result.

With that in mind, both managers made changes to their lineup: Chinese Taipei's skipper Hao-Jiu Tseng opted to skip the day's announced starter -- D-backs No. 7 prospect Yu-Min Lin -- choosing to save him for Sunday's gold medal game. Meanwhile, Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata shuffled his lineup, giving opportunities to bench players like Kotaro Kiyomiya (who was the gold medal-winning pitcher in the 2012 Little League World Series) and speedy outfielder Ryota Isobata.

For Japan, though, the result was the same as it has been in every game since 2019: They won. Itsuki Murabayashi homered, Shota Morishita remained hot with two more RBIs and Kiyomiya added two more RBIs of his own in the victory.

Tonight's result didn't matter much to either side, though: The real battle comes tomorrow when the gold medal is on the line.

Bronze medal game: USA 6, Venezuela 1

For the third time in the tournament, the United States and Venezuela faced off. The first contest saw Venezuela defeat the United States, with current CPBL star Mario Sanchez striking out 10 American batters.

The United States won in the rematch on Saturday -- a must-see, back-and-forth classic -- when Dodgers prospect Ryan Ward launched the game-winning ninth-inning home run.

That meant the bronze medal game was a rubber match between the two teams. Sanchez, who arrived late to the tournament due to visa issues, once again took the mound for Venezuela, but unfortunately for the team known as “arepa power,” he was unable to offer a repeat performance. Sanchez pitched 2 2/3 innings, giving up two runs before manager Omar López, who relied on his relievers with great success in the tourney, went to his bullpen.

Instead, it was the United States’ Casey Lawrence who gave perhaps the pitching performance of the tournament. The 36-year-old MLB pitched six shutout innings, giving up just four hits and striking out seven. He even added a pickoff throw on one of the rare times that Venezuela was able to reach base against him.

MLB Pipeline’s No. 4 prospect Carson Williams added three RBIs and his Rays-system teammate Chandler Simpson showed off great speed to pick up two hits and a crucial infield RBI single when the game was still close.

After finishing second and fourth in the first two Premier12 tournaments, the United States now wins its first bronze.

Gold medal game: Chinese Taipei 4, Japan 0

In one of the greatest upsets in international baseball history, Chinese Taipei won its first ever gold at the Tokyo Dome. D-backs starter Yu-Min Lin shut out the powerful Samurai Japan lineup for four innings and captain and tournament MVP Chieh-Hsien Chen hit a three-run home run in the victory. Full story here >>>